Housewife Gone Wild

Chapter 24

Wendy made me a nutritious breakfast. I was halfway through my meal when Yvonne came bounding in. “Mom, you’re not going to work today,” she declared. “You have to stay home and play with me.”

I looked at her while spooning my gruel. “From now on, I will be going back to work,” I said. “But we’ll sign you up for some fun classes–you’ll have teachers and classmates to keep you company.”

Yvonne’s face paled at the mention of classes. In an instant, she was pointing at me, her voice rising to a wail. “I don’t want classes. You’re mean. I hate you. I’m telling Grandma.” She turned and ran toward the door to find her grandmother.

“Come back,” I commanded, my voice icy. “Go ahead–try telling on me.”

Yvonne’s face was still wet with crocodile tears. She turned to look at me, her eyes wide–almost like she was seeing me for the first time. And for just a second, I caught a flicker of fear.

slowly, took a sip of lemon water, and fixed her with a cold stare. “Yvonne,

have a different mother, go ask

message quickly. After a pause, she inched closer, clutching my arm. “Mom, I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

to remember how, in my previous life, she’d still been taking Tracy’s side even when she was thirty

the pain, that I was my own worst enemy, dragging

a parent, and I didn’t know how to fix it. All I wanted was to raise a child who might one day look

advice kept telling us to take it easy on our kids. It encouraged us to offer support rather than impose limitations,

these

work soon.” Rubbing my temples, I nudged Yvonne toward her pony and went upstairs to

mirror reflected the marks Jared had left the night before–love bites scattered down my neck and back. Back then, I would’ve covered every one, too

Why should I? A little passion between spouses was nothing